Automotive Service Equipment (ASE) includes various machines, each of which performs a particular task, such as wheel alignment and balancing, emissions control, and diagnostics. Each service equipment uses different equipment sensors to gather vehicle information. Currently, for different types of services, most ASE systems use personal computers that run application-specific software to interface with application-specific equipment sensors on different service equipment. In order to accommodate different types of tasks, under a traditional approach, the personal computers have to be configured and programmed separately for each type of equipment used in different types of services. In addition, different types of interface boards are required to interface between the personal computer and different types of equipment.
This traditional approach produces several problems. First, the traditional approach reduces productivity. Technicians using the ASE systems have to locate and install or replace different types of interface board for each service. Their productivity is reduced due to the time spent on removal of old interface boards and installation of new interface boards. Second, the traditional approach increases inventories. In order to perform each type of service properly, garages have to prepare and stock up different interface boards for each type of service. This is very inefficient for business operation. Third, the traditional approach is difficult to upgrade. Under the traditional approach, if ASE systems need to perform a new function properly, both new application-specific software and new interface boards are required. While updating or upgrading software can be easily done by downloading files from remote computers through internet, the old interface boards need to be physically replaced by new interface boards. Unless the new interface boards are available, the ASE system can not perform the new function. In some cases, the old interface boards can be upgraded simply by reprogramming the logic arrays without replacing the board. However, garage technicians may still lack the skill to do the programming and therefore upgrades are not available.